Behind the Sea
by RainbowsUnicornsAndDeath
Summary: Percy is a mysterious boy with a dangerous past- and maybe even present. Nico is new to town, and lives next door to Percy. Can they save each other... from themselves?


**WARNING: This story contains violence, self-harm, and abuse. Also, I have a potty-mouth, so be warned.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I'm just screwing around.**

"Perseus! Get your ass down here right now and fix my breakfast!" Gabe shouted. "And clean up that fucking mess you made!"

Percy picked himself up off the floor where he had spent the night as quickly as he could, ignoring the searing pain in his muscles and limping his way downstairs. Not even bothering to glance at his step-father, he put breakfast on, then began cleaning the up the glass from the broken window he had been pushed through the night before and moving the broken beer bottles off the floor.

Perfectly timed, Gabe walked through the door just as the oven timer went off for the eggs and potatoes Percy had begun making. Gabe looked down at Percy as he returned from throwing out the trash and growled. "You better not have burned my breakfast, punk. You know what would have to happen then, don't you?" Seeing Percy tremble slightly with fear, he laughed. "Thought so. Clean up, get to work, and stay the fuck out of my sight. Move it!" Gabe clapped his hands with the last two words.

Percy scampered back to his room to do as he was told. He showered quickly, pulling out the large pieces of glass imbedded in his body but leaving the smaller ones for when he had more time. His wrists itched badly and he did his best to ignore it, but he had to give in. He pulled out his razor, cutting his left wrist first. He sighed as the itching decreased, then cut twice more, each higher up than the last. He did the same with his right wrist, watching his blood turn the water pink and swirl down the drain.

After the blood stopped flowing quite so freely, he bound his wrists with gauze, then threw on a long-sleeve shirt, a pair of dark jeans- just in case his wounds opened so the blood wouldn't be as visible- and a navy blue hoodie. Percy quickly ran outside, somehow managed to avoid Gabe, and pulled out his list of work to do. Mowing the yard, trimming the shrubs that lined the yard, repainting the outside of the house white, doing the dishes, and cleaning the laundry by hand were only a few of his chores for the day.

Sighing, Percy pulled out the lawn mower and was about to start it up when he realized that there was a truck unloading furniture into the house next door, which had been vacant ever since he could remember. Occasionally, someone would check out the house, and every time, they had loved it and went to buy it, then mysteriously disappeared. He wondered how long this family would stay. One thing was for sure, though- it was going to be a hell of a lot harder to hide his abuse with a family living next door, especially considering how thin the walls were.

He shook himself out of his thoughts and started the lawn mower. Today was going to be hell- he could just feel it.

* * *

Percy ran back into the kitchen and, having already set the table, pulled Gabe's dinner from the oven with his bare hands and set it perfectly in it's place. "Dinner's ready!" he called up, then quickly scurried away to his room before Gabe had time to catch sight of him.

_Phew..._ Percy thought. _He didn't see me. _Just then, there was a knock on the front door. _Must be the new neighbors... Wonder what they want..._ There was another knock, louder this time.

"PERSEUS! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE AND ANSWER THE DOOR!"

Percy cringed automatically, but fixed his shaggy hair to hide his bruises and did as he was told. He ran down the stairs, took a deep breath and neutralized his face, then opened the door just as whoever it was tried to knock again. Percy was standing at just the right angle that when he opened the door the boy's fist hit him in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! Are you okay? I didn't hurt you did I? I really didn't mean to. I just wanted to know if you went to the school around here. Goode or something right? I just really want to know at least one person there on my first day. Why are you still on the ground? Can you not get up on your own or something? What's your name anyway?"

Percy interrupted him before he could get much further. "Whoa, dude. One question at a time. First, tell me your name so I don't have to refer to you as 'kid' the whole time we're talking."

The boy blushed. Apparently he hadn't thought of that. "My name's Nico. Nico di Angelo."

"I'm Percy. I see no reason to give you my last name. And to answer a few of your questions, I'm fine, I'm not hurt, and I'm still on the ground because you didn't give me a chance to get up, not because I can't get up on my own."

"You missed one. Do you go to Goode?"

Percy internally groaned. He had been hoping to avoid that one. "I do go to Goode, and if you want to have any friends, or fit in at all for that matter, you'll act like you despise me with your every being, or at least pretend you have no clue who I am. Will that be all?"

"No. Why does everyone hate you?"

"I'll take that as a yes then. Have a nice life." With that, he swiftly closed the door in Nico's face, the boy's dark eyes haunting him, but not for long.

_CRACK! _Gabe hit him over the head from behind. "Who the fuck was that and WHY THE FUCK WERE YOU TALKING TO HIM!?"

Percy glanced up, avoiding Gabe's eyes. "That was our new neighbor, and I was talking to him to make it seem less suspicious. If I'd just looked at him and slammed the door, he would have kept knocking and he probably would have thought something was up! Oh, and because talking is what normal people do. You wouldn't want anyone to suspect anything, so I have to try and act normal! Or is that too complicated for your little pea-brain to understand?"

The moment the words left his mouth, he knew it was a bad decision.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!? HUH, PUNK? YOU'RE A WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT! JUST LIKE THAT GOD-DAMNED MOTHER OF YOURS!" For every word, he hit Percy harder, so that by this point Percy had already curled up on the floor in pain.

"My mom was worth more than you'll ever be!" he yelled back, and suddenly the yelling stopped. Percy swallowed once and braced himself for the impact of Gabe's unconscious body, but that wasn't what happened.

He was unceremoniously lifted off the floor and tied face-down to the kitchen table. _What's happening?_ Percy wondered, scared. _Gabe hasn't done this before..._ The clink of metal shocked him out of his thoughts. _No! Not this!_ Percy suddenly recognized what was happening from what his mother used to tell him.

Gabe cut his shirt open slowly, drawing out the suspense. Percy turned his head from where he was and spat at Gabe. "Just get it over with already!"

Gabe's eyes blazed, and he slammed Percy's head down into the table. "So your worthless mother must have told you. It's a pity I had to kill her- she had such spirit. Too much, in fact. That bitch made my life hell. I'd love to torture the life out of her again, but I guess I'll just have to make do with you."

He ripped Percy's shirt the rest of the way off and slowly made a deep cut down Percy's back, chuckling when Percy gripped the table to keep from screaming out. He repeated the process in different directions, some cuts smaller than others.

_Is he...writing something?_ Percy wondered through the haze of pain. There was a clinking noise, and he realized that Gabe had finally put down the knife. He relaxed, thinking that the worst was over, then he felt a searing heat tracing along the cuts on his back.

Percy couldn't take it anymore. He screamed at the top of his lungs and passed out to the sound of Gabe's cynical laughter.

* * *

Percy woke up to his alarm clock blaring in his ear. He picked it up and threw it across the room in an attempt to get it to shut up, but it just got louder. Groaning, he rolled out of bed and pressed the button on the side, shutting it off. He was about to go back to sleep when he realized what time it was. "_Shit!_" he thought out loud. "I'm gonna be late!" He slapped his face, instantly regretted it, and ran into the bathroom to get ready.

Twenty minutes and a few bandages later, he tripped his way out the door and ran to school.

Percy slowly worked his way to his first period class, ignoring the disdainful glares and disgusted glances directed at him. He had just sat down when he heard a familiar voice coming from out in the hallway.

"Why do you have to introduce me? I'd rather just sit by myself than have a bunch of people attempt to fake being my friends. Besides, I already know one person here."

Another voice answered the remark in a surprised tone. "Really? And who would that be?"

"Percy something-or-another. He wouldn't tell me his last name, but I live right next to him."

The other person was silent for a moment, but quickly recovered. "Oh, _him._ None of the staff know his last name. He won't tell, and neither will the principal. It's rather frustrating, to be honest."

Percy groaned internally. _Really, Nico? You just had to show up and do exactly what I told you not to._

They were both silent as they entered the classroom. The teacher gave some boring speech about how it was a new year and they could be whatever they wanted to be if only they put their minds to it, while Nico stood awkwardly behind him. "Now, you're all going to introduce yourselves, first _and_ last names, tell us your age, and share a few of your hobbies with the class. Nico will go first since this is his first year at this school, so please make him feel welcome."

She gestured for Nico to go ahead. Nico cleared his throat nervously before speaking. "Um... Hi, my name is Nico di Angelo, I'm sixteen, and my hobbies are listening to music and ignoring people. Next."

The next kid spoke up. She was popular, if Percy's memory served, and she looked the part with her blonde princess curls and designer clothes. Her eyes screamed _Bitch, please- you aren't worth my time! _"My name is Annabeth Chase, I'm sixteen, and my hobbies are cheer leading and dancing. Next!" She sounded arrogant, and so did the next girl that spoke, obviously Annabeth's friend.

"My name is Silena Beauregard, I'm sixteen, and my hobbies are make-up and nail art." She painted her nails as the spoke.

"Jason Grace. Sixteen. Sports and weapons." The kid's hair was golden blonde, and his face was perfectly chiseled, and the only flaw was a small scar on his lip. _Wonder how he got that... Maybe he tried to eat a stapler._

The girl after him dressed in black skinny jeans and a Green Day t-shirt, with her eyeliner accentuating her electric blue eyes perfectly and he short cropped hair looking like she had just rolled out of bed. It was messy, but she pulled it off perfectly. "Thalia Grace- Jason's sister. Seventeen. Music and weapons."

A short redhead was next. "Rachel Dare, sixteen, painting and horseback riding." She his behind Thalia as she spoke, as if she was afraid that everyone was going to hurt her or something. When everyone just stared at Rachel, Thalia barked, "Next!" Rachel shot her a thankful look.

The next two boys looked exactly alike, with sandy blonde hair and mischievous smiles. They spoke in unison. "Connor and Travis Stoll. Sixteen. Skateboarding and practical jokes. BAZINGA!"

The next boy slightly resembled them except for the scar that ran down the side of his face. _Cousins, maybe?_ "My name is Luke Castellan, I'm 17, and my hobbies are sword fighting and archery."

The next girl was pretty, but she wore thrift store clothes, no make-up, and kept her hair tied in a messy bun on top of her head. "Piper McLean. Sixteen. Horseback riding and acting."

No one said anything after that, and the teacher shouted, "Next! Leo! Earth to Valdez! Please land your helicopter and return to the realm of the living. Thank you."

The boy looked up. "Oh, sorry..." he said sheepishly. "As you now know, my name is Leo Valdez. I'm sixteen, and my hobbies are metalworking and mechanics. And just so you know, I wouldn't use your megaphone until we get that glitch fixed."

"What glitch?" The teacher walked over and tried to talk into the megaphone, but instead of magnifying what she said, it belted out, "THE COW SAYS MOO!"

Everyone busted out laughing and Leo just shrugged. "I did warn you..." He let it trail off. "So, who's next?"

"Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano. I'm sixteen, and my hobbies are jousting and debates."

"Octavian Augustus. Seventeen. Weapons and politics."

"Frank Zhang. Sixteen. Archery and military training."

"Katie Gardner. Sixteen. Gardening- yes, very funny Travis- and volunteer work." Travis looked stunned. How could she tell him and Connor apart? They were literally identical, and yet she had gotten it right. How was that possible?

"I'm Charles Beckendorf, but I prefer to just be called by my last name. I'm seventeen, and my hobbies are metalworking and mechanics."

"Clarisse La Rue. Seventeen. Weapons and martial arts."

The next girl was so quiet that everyone had to strain their ears to be able to hear her. "My name is Juniper Nymph, I'm sixteen, and my hobbies are gardening and volunteer work."

Another girl from the bitch-squad spoke up. "Drew Tanaka. Sixteen. Make-up and hairstyles."

"Nancy Bobofit. Sixteen. Track and cross-country." _No wonder she's so good at running away..._

"Will Solace. Sixteen. Archery and acting."

"Zoe Nightshade. Seventeen. Archery and animal obedience training."

"Grover Underwood. Sixteen. Music and Environmentalism."

"Ethan Nakamura. Sixteen. Sword fighting and sparring."

"Lee Fletcher, Will's older brother. Seventeen. Archery and music."

Everyone turned to stare at Percy, since he was the last to go. "My name is Percy. I will NOT, under any circumstances, tell you my full name. I'm sixteen, and my hobbies are none of your business. Will that be all?" he asked sarcastically.

"Exactly the same answer as every other year..." the teacher mumbled under her breath. "Well, that's your decision I guess... Anyhow, my name is Alecto Dodds, and you will call me Mrs. Dodds and nothing else." She then turned to Nico. "Please go sit next to Percy so I can begin the lesson." Then quietly, so only Nico could hear, she whispered, "Sorry! Have fun with that." Then she launched into a lecture about some sort of math.

Nico smiled triumphantly as he sat to Percy's right. Percy ignored him, pretending not to notice Nico. _So far, so good..._

He made it through the class without speaking to Nico once, and the very moment the bell rang he bolted out of the classroom without giving Nico a chance to catch up.

The rest of his classes were the same, and he found an empty table for himself at lunch. By the end of the day he had his schedule memorized. Dodds for Math, Kerr for English, Chase for History, then Lunch. After that he had his last class of the day- Latin with Brunner. He had all his classes with Nico, and every class, Nico would take the seat next to him. Not necessarily by choice, but because it was the last available seat... Or so Percy was trying to convince himself.

When the bell rang after fifth block, he bolted out the door as fast as he could and took off down the road. Nico ran after him, but he didn't have a chance of catching up. _Whoa! He runs really fast! Wonder why he's in such a hurry to get home?_


End file.
